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Becoming a Blacksmith in Gbarngasuakwelle
Author(s) -
Lancy David F.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
anthropology and education quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.531
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1548-1492
pISSN - 0161-7761
DOI - 10.1525/aeq.1980.11.4.05x1823c
Subject(s) - sociology , simple (philosophy) , informal learning , mathematics education , pedagogy , public relations , epistemology , social science , engineering ethics , psychology , political science , engineering , philosophy
In analyzing the processes involved in becoming a blacksmith in a Kpelle town in West Africa, the paper highlights the failure of simple typologies to account for the contrast between formal schooling and out‐of‐school or informal learning. The blacksmith is shown to carry three subroles: skilled worker, big‐man, and medicine man. Each involves different skills and each requires different training processes. These processes are described and attention is paid to their forma/and informal characteristics.